Maryland PSC Develops Procedural Schedule For Md. Piedmont Reliability Project

It calls for public hearings next year in the affected counties.Photo from PSEG websiteBaltimore, Md (KM) The Maryland Public Service Commission has developed a procedural schedule for the proposed Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. It includes public hearings in each of the affected counties during the week of September 21st through the 28th, 2026.The MPRP is a proposed, 67-mile-long, 500-kilovolt electric transmission line extending from northern Baltimore County through central Carroll County and southern Frederick County, ending at the Doubs substation in Adamstown.   The electricity coming through the line is expected to be used by data centers in northern VirginiaIt’s being built buy the Public Service Enterprise Group which had proposed a schedule that anticipated  PSC grant approval by March 31st, 2026, with an in-service date of June 1st, 2027. But the state’ Power Plant Research Program–or PPRP–argued that the application did not include field studies that PPRP needs to conducts its  analysis of the project. The PSC says following a pre-hearing conference in early June, the Commission’s Technical Staff was told to facilitate  discussions between PSEG, PPRP and the Office of People’s Council about the time needed  to produce these field studies,  and the feasibility of proceeding without them.The project has run into strong opposition from affected property owners. a number of whom have refused to let PSEG representatives on their lands to do field studies.The schedule as adopted:March 2, 2026: PSEG files updated analysis (including the environmental review document), environment mapping, and field study reports for all properties in the right-of-way, except for time-of-year restricted field studies. PSEG may also file any updated analysis from PJM.April 2, 2026: Status UpdateSeptember 2, 2026: Staff, OPC, PPRP, and Intervenor file direct testimonyWeeks of September 21 and 28, 2026: Public hearings in each countyOctober 16, 2026: Rebuttal testimony responding to other parties and supplemental testimony responding to public comments, and any updated recommended conditions.November 13, 2026: Surrebuttal testimonyDecember 8-18, 2026: Evidentiary hearingsJanuary 29, 2027: Parties’ post-hearing initial briefsFebruary 12, 2027: Parties’ post-hearing reply briefsPSEG has urged an expedited decision, according to a news release from the Public Service Commission, saying the project is needed to avoid critical electric reliability issues in Maryland. But the PSC says it too takes the reliability of electric system very seriously. It says that this schedule has a longer time line that PSEG had requested. But the PSC says it’s confident that the PJM, the region’s  grid operator, will efficiently maintain the grid as the Commission reviews PSEG’s application.Bu Kevin McManus